2
Author and Subject Matter Tradition says Homer, the “blind poet”—8 th century B.C.E. Broad subject is a 10 year war waged by chieftains of Achaean (Greek) warrior classes against the city of Troy Focus: Conflict between Achaeans’ leader Agamemnon and its greatest warrior Achilles in 9 th year of that war—and the consequences attendant upon that conflict Bust of Homer, Source:http://www.greece.org/hellas/0.GIF/ homer.gif

4
Genre and Structure Genre: Epic –Definition of Epic: (Handbook of Literary Terms) “A long narrative poem in elevated style presenting characters of high position in adventures forming an organic whole through their relation to a central heroic figure... “ Structure of Iliad (illustrates aspects of epic) –Fateful falling out between Agamemnon, Achaean leader and Achilles its greatest warrior (“high position)” –Leading to a downturn of Greek fortunes after Achilles withdraws –A restoration of Achaean fortunes after the return of Achilles (adventures related to central character) –The death and humiliation of Hector –Climax in the meeting and mutual grieving of Achilles and Troy’s king Priam—and the restoration of Hector’s body (all three parts of epic definition)

5
Content and Structure (cont.) Organization of an Epic A long narrative poem in elevated style Presenting characters of high position In adventures forming an organic whole through their relation to a central heroic figure

6
Content and Structure (cont.) Structure of Illiad 1. Fateful falling out between Agamemnon, Achaean leader and Achilles its greatest warrior (“high position)” 3.A restoration of Achaean fortunes after the return of Achilles (adventures related to central character) 4.The death and humiliation of Hector 5. Climax in the meeting and mutual grieving of Achilles and Troy’s king Priam and the restoration of Hector’s body (all three parts of epic definition) 2. Leading to a downturn of Greek fortunes after Achilles withdraws

7
Verse Form Written in “Hexameters” –Each line is a more or less complete thought and is divided into 6 rhythmic “segments” or “feet,” (Hence “hexa”) Translators do not attempt to reproduce this verse form but in the original it reflects “the surging and the thunder” of always present sea (Andrew Lang) Island of Ithaca

9
Style (2) Extended Simile Simile is a comparison between two unlike objects using “like” and “as,” or “so.” –“My love is like a red, red rose.” –“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Homer’s similes tend to be extended as in the following from book XVI of The Iliad –As the East and South Winds fight in killer squalls deep in a mount valley thrashing stands of timber oak and ash and cornel with bark stretched taut and hard and they whip their long sharp branches against each other a deafening roar goes up, the splintered timber crashing so Achaeans and Trojans clashed….. –“As” tips us off that we are in for a simile. But a long journey before we get to the “so” which completes the comparison. What extended similes do for the poem: –Make action vivid –“Distance us” from the poem

10
Divine/Human Relations in The Iliad Will of human actors ruled and overruled by that of the gods Human heroism “decorates” but does not “determine” the action. –“Nothing great happens without the aid of a divine power” (Jaeger). Gods “rig” everything through –External intervention –Internal influence –Continuous favoritism (or disfavor)

11
Key Gods and Important Humans Zeus “who marshals the storm clouds”: king of the gods Poseidon: “the earth shaker”: brother of Zeus and god of the sea Hades: Zeus’s other great brother who rules the underworld Hera: “the white armed”: his quarrelsome queen Athena: “the gray-eyed”; goddess of wisdom; Zeus’s daughter Hermes: “the giant killer” and messenger of gods Thetis: a minor goddess and Achilles' mother Paris: his affair with Helen is at the root of all the trouble Helen: Menelaeus’s wife who deserts her husband and runs off to Troy Agamemnon: king of the Achaeans and organizer of expedition Achilles: “the swift runner”; the Achaean’s greatest warrior Priam: king of Troy; father of Paris, Deiphobus, and Hector Hector: “breaker of horses”; Troy’s greatest warrior

12
Stage Now Set for Summary and Exposition of Selections from Iliad After reading this lectures could you answer the following questions? Differences between Greek and Hebrew “world view’ and how these affect the “style” in which they are written? Achaeans? Hexameter? Epic? Homeric “cliché” and “extended simile”—and their importance to Homer’s style? Arete? The other major “virtues” of The Iliad and Odyssey? The major gods and human characters of The Iliad and their role in the poem? Theatre at Epidauros Proceed to the Optional Flash Quiz and see if you can answer the above questions!